hello all.

 

So she failed the MOT today, but not for emissions which was my worry due to the decat. The basic test shows 0.7 on the emissions so well below the 3.5 limit.

 

Failed on the following which I need some help/advice with.

 

Reason(s) for failure

nearside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

offside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

Can someone confirm that these are the culprits? The tester said he "thought" that was where the movement was coming from. How hard is it to replace these myself? Ali said I can swap some on from his car potentially. Will I need a press?

 

 

nearside front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

 

Anyone know of a bodyshop which can repair this section in the next two weeks in the proximity of London? Seems to be where it has been badly jacked in the past so it has started to go bad. Seems to just need a plate though rather than box

 

 

Advisory notice item(s)

nearside front Direction indicator damaged, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

 

These aren't too serious. but could this cause the movement I feed when I hit the brakes? Feels like there is a slight forwards/backwards movement when the brakes initially engage. really annoying but I haven'#t been able to pin it down yet.

 

Any help much appreciated! I have 10 workign days to get it fixed and a free retest done... :D

As the man says, I will have my rear subframe out so any joints in his subframe can be replaced, or all if it comes to that. I do not know however if it is just the HICAs being disconnected but not locked off, or if some bushings are knackered. I suppose it would be hard to tell without jacking it up and testing.

I really shoudl find out if I have Hicas or not...... I don't have any gumpf in the engine bay, but do have a light on the dash that appears when starting the engine. goes out once car is started.

You have Hicas, Will - that's what the arm attached to the duff rear balljoint is.

 

I watched Lee Dent changing mine earlier this year and it took him a while to do and looked a bit of a pig of a job! No press required as such, but you need at least a socket that's the exact same size as the new balljoint (to use as a drift to tap it into place.

I really shoudl find out if I have Hicas or not...... I don't have any gumpf in the engine bay, but do have a light on the dash that appears when starting the engine. goes out once car is started.

This is why I might think that it might just be disconnected and nothing holding it straight. If that's the case (I hope not) then it will be a big pain to reinstall all of the components to make it work. And I don't have bajillions of Na subframes lying about.

 

Never mind it's electronic I forgot :stupid: [emoji14]

Edited November 7, 20169 yr by Alic

he is missing the solenoid in the engine bay so I would be inclined to think it's disconnected. And if it is, is that the source of the problem.

 

what year is the car? It could be electronic.

what year is the car? It could be electronic.

Ah yes of course, super hicas in the later series. do they use the same joints?

Edited November 7, 20169 yr by Alic

do they use the same joints?

 

Yes. Inner and outer. The ram is different, but the fittings are the same.

Yes. Inner and outer. The ram is different, but the fittings are the same.

Thanks Si, Once we isolate that is the problem I will get the joints off the subframe.

Failed on the following which I need some help/advice with.

 

Reason(s) for failure

nearside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

offside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

 

Nearside front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

 

Easy access means any garage could clean that up and weld support plates over.

 

Will I need a press? No

 

The problem here is that it is unlikely the tester could determine for sure if it was the outer or inner bush where the wear was, this requires two people one to shake the wheel and one to hold the two bushes separately and see which needs doing. A vast amount of the time its is the inner unit, this is so much easier to change.

 

If this is the case I made a tech thread a few years ago about changing the arms, see link below with pictures. Note though it is for earlier non electric hicas, the only difference when changing is the later electric ones are easier to change as they do not need to be locked off on the opposite sides, and for your info the later electric ones do use different arms to the early type, easy to find though.

 

Link >>>> http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?147816-Hicas-arm-replacement-tech&highlight=hicas+tech

 

 

nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

 

These aren't too serious. but could this cause the movement I feed when I hit the brakes? Feels like there is a slight forwards/backwards movement when the brakes initially engage. really annoying but I have not been able to pin it down yet.

 

So it is possible the lower ball joints are worn, however if your getting slight forwards/backwards movement when braking it is more likely the tension road bushes, these locate the front arm position ( see picture ) for these you will need a press to change the bushes, but quite easy to remove and drop in at a local garage to swap the bushes for you and then you can refit them to the car.

 

 

 

Ok hope that helps.

 

Jeff

Considering how (relatively) inexpensive the rear balljoints are, I wouldn't even contemplate used ones.

 

Never mind the fact that they'll likely get mangled being removed from Ali's subframe.

Considering how (relatively) inexpensive the rear balljoints are, I wouldn't even contemplate used ones.

 

Never mind the fact that they'll likely get mangled being removed from Ali's subframe.

 

YES AND YES

 

Jeff

Hello,

 

Thanks for th feedback and detailed points Jeff much appreciated!! To be fair it doesn't look like there is much room for the outta joint to move?? The rubber doesn't seem perished as far as I can see.

 

Regards W

This maybe of help?

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/conceptua-tuning/Z32-300ZX-Fairlady-/_i.html?_nkw=Hicas&submit=Search&_fsub=2566119012&_sid=216314002

Alternatively...

http://www.driftworks.com/driftworks-total-hicas-eliminator-kit-for-nissan.html

Considering how (relatively) inexpensive the rear balljoints are, I wouldn't even contemplate used ones.

 

Never mind the fact that they'll likely get mangled being removed from Ali's subframe.

 

YES AND YES

 

Jeff

 

Yup - new parts are not that expensive, so best be safe and buy new....:cool:

hello all.

 

So she failed the MOT today, but not for emissions which was my worry due to the decat. The basic test shows 0.7 on the emissions so well below the 3.5 limit.

 

Failed on the following which I need some help/advice with.

 

Reason(s) for failure

nearside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

offside Rear wheel steering ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1i)

Can someone confirm that these are the culprits? The tester said he "thought" that was where the movement was coming from. How hard is it to replace these myself? Ali said I can swap some on from his car potentially. Will I need a press?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]102456[/ATTACH]

 

 

nearside front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

 

Anyone know of a bodyshop which can repair this section in the next two weeks in the proximity of London? Seems to be where it has been badly jacked in the past so it has started to go bad. Seems to just need a plate though rather than box

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]102457[/ATTACH]

 

Advisory notice item(s)

nearside front Direction indicator damaged, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

 

These aren't too serious. but could this cause the movement I feed when I hit the brakes? Feels like there is a slight forwards/backwards movement when the brakes initially engage. really annoying but I haven'#t been able to pin it down yet.

 

Any help much appreciated! I have 10 workign days to get it fixed and a free retest done... :D

 

That corrosion (from the picture at least) doesn't look serious enough to warrant a fail, and his reason for rejection is certainly wrong! I've seen this reason for rejection used so many times and it doesn't apply to this type of vehicle.....

 

WITHIN 30cm OF THE BODY MOUNTINGS? It's a monocoque it doesn't have any body mountings, thus makes it not applicable so not useable as a fail. Tester is wrong here.

 

As for the play in the ball joints he should either tell you EXACTLY where the play is coming from or pass and advise. Simples....

Threads like this highlight the inconsistencies with MOT testing standards and tester, to be fair they have to use an antiquated system that has had a 2016 facade painted over it, the system needs a complete overall.

 

Jeff